Invalid bed



June 19, 1923. 1,459,112

C. F. MEHL INVALID BED Filed Feb. 23 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 um N June 19, 1923.

C. F. MEHL INVALID BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23. 1922 .LWJ 22 I 7?? 29 ill n- 1--- H rm ll Patented June 19, 1923.

-UNlT$ED STATES CHARLES F. MEHL, OF EUCLID, OHIO.

INVALID BED.

Application filed February 23,1922. Serial No. 538,670.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MEHL, a citizen of the United States, resident of Euclid Village, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Invalid Beds, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

This invention relates to invalid beds of the type in which auxiliary transverse supporting straps extend across the top of the mattress and the mattress is mounted upon a vertically adjustable frame in order, to enable the bed linen to be quickly changed o the mattress to be turned over or replaced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide adjusting means for the supporting straps which will enable the position of the patient to be easilyand quickly shifted or portions of the body exposed for bathing, treatment of injuries, fecal evacuations and other'necessary attentions with a minimum of discomfort to the patient and a minimum of exertionon the part of attendants. Further objects will be apparent from the following description in connection with the annexed drawings.

The following description and annexed drawings set forth in detail certain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the bed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bed showing, in full lines, the mattress in raised position and in dotted lines the mattress in lowered position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail View showing a pair of strap adjusting drums in side elevation.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail View showing the attachment of the strap to a side rail taken on line VIVI of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 4: looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2 looking down wardly upon one of the mattress frame adjusting drums and its driving mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

brackets 10 and 11 secured, respectively to corner posts 12 and 13 of the head land foot 2. The shafts 9 are made in two partsadjustably connected by means of a turnbuckle 14 held in adjusted position by lock nuts 15. By means of the turnbuckle 14 the shaft 9 can be adjusted to fit the particular bed to which it is applied or to realign its driving connections. The shafts 9 have worm gears 16 attached to the ends thereof at the foot of the bed. The Worm gears 16 engage worms 17 on a transverse shaft IS mounted in bearings 19 on the brackets 11. A crank 20 is detachably connected to one end of the shaft 18. The mattress supporting frame 6 is raised or lowered by turning the shaft 18' by means of the crank 20. The worm drive locks the shaft 9 in any position of adjustment of the mattress supporting frame.

In pulling the mattress off the supporting spring there is a tendency to move the frame sidewise and with it the bed to the discomfort and annoyance of the patient. To obviate this objectionable featureI have provided prongs 21 on the bottom of the frame. 6 which engage the floor and prevent move-- ment of the frame when the mattress is be ing pulled off.

Removab-ly attached at one end to the side rail 3 are a series of transverse straps 22 of thin strong fabric. The opposite ends of the straps 22 are removably attached to and wound upon drums 23 rotatably mounted on a shaft 24: extending along the outer side of the side rail 4 and supported by end bearing brackets 25 at the head and foot of the bed and by intermediate bearing brackets 26 carried by the rail 1. The straps 22 are removably secured to the drums 23 by means of rods 27 secured in loops at the ends of the straps Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line X-X of against unwinding movement.

engageable with slots 28 in the flanges 29 of the drums. Each drum 23 has a ratchet wheel 30 fixed thereto at one end. Each ratchet wheel 30 is engaged by a pawl 31 pivoted to brackets 32 fixed to the side rail. 4 to lock the drum in any of its positions The drums 23 are arranged in pairs with the ratchets 30 of each pair onthe ends adjacent to each other. Each ratchet 30 has an axially disposed square boss 33 projecting from the outer face thereof. Between each pair of drums is an operating lever 3 having a square aperture 35, through which the shaft 1 2% passes, adapted to fit over either of the bosses 33 on opposite sides thereof to actuate either of the two drums of the pair.

lVhen the mattress is in full raised position the straps 22 are normally adjusted to have just sufhcient tautness to lie snugly against the top of the mattress and the full weight of the patient is borne by the mattress. By tightening certain of the straps 22 a portion of the weight of desired. portions of the patients body can be partially taken up by the straps to relieve pressure on parts of the body which have become wearied by greason of the weight imposed upon them.

By partially lowering the mattress and loosening-the straps toward the foot of the bed the patient can be placed in a reclining position which can bereadily changed from time to time to suit the comfort of the patient. For bathing the patient, treating injuries, administering a douche, enema, permitting evacuations, etc., the mattress supporting frame will be lowered to the floor,

the individual straps loosened to the extent necessary to support the body of the patient in a comfortable position. To expose the desired portion of the patients body the particular strap beneath the portion to be exposed can be let down until loose'enough to be slipped to one side or the end thereof can be detached from the drum and the strap entirely withdrawn.

What I claim is 1. In an invalid bed, the combination with the rigid framework consisting of the head and foot thereof and side rails; of a series of transverse patient supporting straps secured at one end to one of the side rails; a shaft extending alongside the otherof said side rails; a series of drums, upon which the opposite ends of said straps arewound, rotatably mounted upon said shaft and arranged in pairs; a pawl and ratchet for locking each of said drums against unwindingmovement; and an operating lever carried by said shaft between drums of each pair, said operating levers being engageable with either drum of the pair between which it is positioned to actuate the same.

2. In an invalid bed, the combination with the rigid frame-work consisting of the head and foot thereof and side rails; of a series of transverse patient supporting straps fixed to one of the side rails; a series of independently rotatable drums arranged in pairs upon a common shaft upon which the, op posite ends of the straps are wound; a pawl and ratchet for each of saiddrums to lock the same against unwinding movement; and a lever between each pair of drums having a non-circular aperture through which the shaft passes; the drums on the opposite sides of each lever having bosses engageable with said apertured lever. i I

Signed by me this 28th day of January, 1922.

CHARLES F. MEHL. 

